Syringe inhibiting container

ABSTRACT

A hypodermic syringe and needle disposal container is disclosed. The disposal container comprises a plastic hinged case sized for encasing the majority of sizes of hypodermic syringes, with needles. Two securing tabs, opposite the hinge, secure the case in the closed position, thus securing the contents in the disposal container and preventing any contact with the secured contents by the handler. The disposal containers further includes a seal along its interior border for inhibiting fluids from leaking from the container. The disposal containers are retrieved by messengers for disposal in designated sites.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for securingand disposing of hypodermic syringes with needles. More particularly,the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for encasing ahypodermic syringe, with needle, in a sealed environment which willreduce the possibility of contact by the handler with the securedcontents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the safe disposal ofhypodermic syringes and needles. In the past, medical personnel andothers, in the course of using and disposing of hypodermic syringes withneedles, have suffered needle stick injuries which have presentedserious health problems. Diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS may betransmitted by needle stick injuries. These diseases can lead to serioushealth problems, even the possibility of death. In recent years due tothe increasing threat of AIDS, medical personnel who have contact withhypodermic syringes with needles must take increasing care to insuretheir safety.

An existing method used for protecting the handler from possible needlestick accidents from hypodermic syringes with needles is through the useof the protective sheath which is typically provided for covering thehypodermic syringe needle prior to the use of the syringe. Withnon-retractable syringes, the protective sheath could be used to recoverthe needle after use. Unfortunately, such use causes an inherent risk ofa needle stick injury due to the possible careless or improper handlingof the needle or sheath, especially reinstalling the sheath over theneedle. Moreover, the United States Center for Disease Controlguidelines now recommend against the recapping of syringes with theneedle sheaths after use.

Another existing method used to minimize the risk of needle stickinjuries is the use of a retractable syringe. A retractable syringeretracts and retains the possibly contaminated needle into the barrel ofthe syringe, and thus, protectively isolates the needle from furtherhuman contact. However, it is possible for some retractable syringes toleak contaminated fluids or residue through the opening where the needleis retracted into the syringe barrel. If excess contaminated fluids orresidue leak, there is a risk of the contaminating virus or bacteriacontaminating other medical tools or equipment in the area, and possiblyinfecting persons who subsequently come into contact with such tools,equipment, or the syringe. This existing risk of exposure tocontaminated material gives rise to the need for further syringe andneedle disposal protection.

Others have conceived and prepared models of the idea of a rigid,opaque, plastic case made up of identical sides to hold a single sizehypodermic syringe and needle. The plastic case has a hinge, and thereare multiple protuberances on one side to be received by openings on theother side.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safe method ofdisposal for used hypodermic syringes with needles through use of adisposal container which is secured by tabs which are not easilyreopened, securing the contents inside the disposal container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a disposalcontainer which will hold the majority of sizes of syringe and needleconfigurations available to medical and veterinary personnel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method ofdisposal of the hypodermic syringe and needle by including a wellclosure cover which will inhibit the leaking of contaminated fluids orresidue which may happen to leak out of the syringe barrel or needleafter use.

It is another object of the present invention to encase a hypodermicsyringe and needle in such a fashion where it is unlikely that thesyringe and/or needle may shift sufficiently to breach the disposalcontainer in any manner, at any time during the transportation ordisposal of the container and its contents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disposal container of the present invention comprises a molded setof pieces of flexible, transparent, plastic material including a syringecavity base and a well closure cover which are connected by a hingealong the central vertical axis. The well closure cover contains twoidentical raised circular tabs across from the hinge. The syringe cavitybase contains two identical circular receiver tabs, which are joinedwith the raised circular tabs to secure the disposal container in theclosed position.

On the well closure cover, the plastic is molded in a raised elongatedrectangular position with the center hollowed to approximately half thedepth of the raised portion of the rectangle. An optional coating may beplaced on the rectangular, built-up portion to provide a seal with thesyringe cavity base when closed. The seal, once created between the wellclosure cover and the syringe cavity base, is extremely difficult tobreach.

The syringe cavity base contains an indention which is slightly largerthan the raised plastic portion on the well closure cover. The base andthe cover fit tightly and securely together to form a seal around thatportion of the container. The well closure cover is thus used to coverand secure the syringe cavity base, with the raised, hollowed surfaceserving as a safety container to inhibit or reduce the possibility ofcontaminated fluids or residue from leaking from the disposal container.

Along the central axis of the indented portion of the syringe cavitybase, there is a further indention which serves to contain the syringeand needle. The bottom of the indention is sized to accommodate mostsizes of syringe plungers and corresponding finger grips. The elongatedportion of the indented cavity is sized to be wide and deep enough toaccommodate most syringe barrels. At the top of the elongated cavity, anincline plane is located which angles up to a needle containingindention of the syringe cavity base. The incline plane allows fordiffering sizes of syringe and needle configurations to be housed in thecontainer safely. The needle indention is shallow and is used toaccommodate the needle portion of the syringe. The length of thisindention is sized to be adequate for accommodating most medical andveterinary needles.

The disposal containers, in their sealed state, are collected bymessenger service for disposal at proper sites.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, in which like parts are given like referencereferrals, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and,together with the general description of the invention given above andthe detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1: is a profile view of the disposal container in the fullyextended, open position;

FIG. 2: is a top view of the open disposal container;

FIG. 3: is a side view of the syringe cavity base, shown from thehorizontal plane;

FIG. 4: is a side view of the well closure cover, shown from thehorizontal plane;

FIG. 5: is a frontal view of the disposal container;

FIG. 6: is a cross section view of the hinge which connects the syringecavity base and the well closure cover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Structure. The present invention discloses a hypodermic syringe disposalcontainer. As shown in FIG. 1, the container 5 comprises a syringecavity base 10 and a well closure cover 15. The base 10 and the cover 15are connected by a continuous hinge 20.

The syringe cavity base 10 is typically 167 mm long and 61 mm wide. Thesyringe cavity base 10 includes a flat portion 25 with two depressedcircular indentations 30, 35 set in from the end edge 11, 16 of base 12and top 17, respectively, and the side edge 13 at side 14 of the syringecavity base 10. Both indentations 30 and 35 are the same size typicallywith a diameter of 8 mm and a depth of 4 mm. Indentation 30 is typicallylocated indented 23 mm from the end edge 11 of base 12 of the syringecavity base 10 and is typically located 8 mm set in from the side edge13 of side 14 of the syringe cavity base 10. Indentation 35 is similarlylocated typically 23 mm indented from the opposing end edge 16 of top 17of the syringe cavity base 10, and 8 mm from the side edge 13 of side 14of the syringe cavity base 10.

The syringe cavity base 10 includes an elongated depressed indentation27, which is centrally located between indentations 30 and 35 and istypically 85 mm long, 4 mm wide, and 3 mm deep.

The syringe cavity base 10 includes a depression 40 which is rectangularin shape with rounded corners. Depression 40 is typically located 7 mmfrom the end edge 11 of base 12 of syringe base 10, 18 mm from the sideedge 13 of side 14 of syringe base 10, 7 mm from the top edge 16 of top17 of syringe base 10, and 3 mm from the hinge edge 21 of hinge 20.Depression 40 is typically 38 mm wide and 150 mm long. Depression 40 issurrounded by walls 45 which are typically 6 mm deep. Depression 40includes a floor 42, needle depression 50, barrel depression 100, andplunger depression 125. Needle depression 50 is centrally located insideof depression 40, typically 2 mm from the top edge 41 of the initialdepression 40. Needle depression 50 is centrally located along thevertical axis of depression 40 and is typically 6 mm deeper than thefloor 42 of depression 40. Needle depression 50 has a top edge 51 andextends for typically 60 mm along the floor 42. Needle depression 50 iswalled at the top by a curved linear portion 55 and surrounded furtherby symmetrical walls 60, 65, all with a typical depth of 6 mm measuredfrom the floor 42 of depression 40. An inclined plane 70 is formed infloor 42 starting from top edge 51. Inclined plane 70 is symmetricallylocated on the vertical central axis of needle depression 50. Theinclined plane 70 is lined by walls 75 and 80 which are shaped assymmetrical elongated triangles. Typically inclined plane 70 begins 42mm from the top edge 51 of depression 50 and angles downward. Inclinedplane 70 is typically 15 mm long and 6 mm wide. The angle of inclinationof inclined plane 70 is typically 15 degrees measured from thehorizontal plane of needle depression 50.

Inclined plane 70 adjoins barrel depression wall 90. Wall 90 iscurvilinear in the corners, and forms the top wall for barrel depression100. Wall 90 is typically 16 mm wide. Cavity wall 90 extends fromdepression floor 51 to barrel depression floor 101. Barrel depressionfloor 101 is rectangular in shape and is surrounded by walls 90, 115,and 120. Barrel depression walls 115, 120, which are typically 16 mmdeep measured from depression floor 42, are symmetric and typicallyextend 65 mm from barrel depression wall 90 to where they adjoin wall130, which surrounds plunger depression floor 126.

Plunger depression floor 126 is typically 30 mm wide and 16 mm long,centered along the vertical axis. Plunger depression floor 126 istypically 12 mm deep measured from depression floor 42, and issurrounded by plunger depression wall 130, which is typically 12 mm highand curvilinear in all four corners. Plunger depression wall 130 issloped outward towards depression floor 42.

As shown in FIG. 2, which shows the syringe cavity base 10 on the left,raised towards the viewer, and the well closure cover 15 on the right,with the well cavity 162 depressed into the page, the well closure cover15 comprises cover base 150 with two raised circular indentions 155 and160. Well closure cover 15 includes end edges 151, 156 at base 152 andtop edge 157, respectively, and side edge 154. The well closure cover 15is typically 167 mm long and 62 mm wide. Both indentations 155 and 160are the same size typically with a diameter of 7.5 mm and a depth of 3.5mm. Indentation 155 is typically located 23 mm indented in from the endedge 151 of base 152 of the well closure cover 15 and is also typicallyindented 8 mm from the side edge 153 of side 154 of the well closurecover 15. Indentation 160 is similarly typically located 23 mm from theopposing end edge 156 of top edge 157 of well closure cover 15 and isalso typically located 8 mm indented in from the side edge 153 of side154 of the well closure cover 15.

The well closure cover 15 includes two protuberances 155, 160 and anelongated raised protuberance 162. Raise protuberance 162 is centrallylocated between protuberances 155, 160 and is typically 85 mm long, 4 mmwide, and 3 mm deep.

Cover base 150 of the well closure cover 15 extends inward to a built-upwall 165 which is rectangular in shape with rounded corners and ishollow in the center. Wall 165 is typically located 7 mm from the endedge 151 of base 152 of cover 15, 18 mm from the side edge 153 of side154 of cover 15, 7 mm from the top edge 156 of top 157 of cover 15, and3 mm from the hinge edge 142 of hinge 20. The height of wall 165 istypically 5 mm, width is 37 mm, and length is 149 mm. The wall top 170adjoins wall 165 and is the same rectangular typically shape with awidth of 2 mm extending towards the center of the rectangle. The hollowportion 185, in the center of the raised portion is formed by wall 175,with a typical depth of 2.5 mm, and by base 180. Wall 175 angles down tobase 180 which is typically 25 mm wide and 137 mm long.

An optional sealant 190 may be placed on built-up wall 165, wall top170, and as shown in FIG. 2, on a 2-5 mm boarder around the base ofbuilt-up wall 165 on base 150, where built-up wall 165 adjoins coverbase 150 of well closure cover 15. The sealant 190 is a sticky substancewhich will adhere to the plastic material upon contact. When contact ismade between the sealant and the plastic material, a seal is createdwhich is difficult to breach.

Syringe cavity base 10 is connected to well closure cover 15 by hinge20. FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of hinge 20, which includes twodepressed hinge sides 135 and 140, which are typically 2 mm wide and 155mm long. Hinge side 135 adjoins syringe cavity flat portion 25 at hingeedge 21 and adjoins hinge floor 140 at hinge edge 139. Similarly, hingeside 40 adjoins well closure cover flat portion 150 at hinge edge 142and adjoins hinge floor 140 at hinge edge 144. Hinge floor 145 istypically 4 mm wide and 155 mm long. Hinge 20 is sufficiently elastic,due to the sizing of hinge sides 135, 140, and hinge floor 145, to allowthe syringe cavity base 10 and the well closure cover 15 to remain inthe open position, shown in FIG. 1, when the container 5 is held by onlythe syringe cavity base 10 or the well closure cover 15.

Manufacture. To achieve the foregoing object, and in accordance with thepurposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein,methods available for producing such an object include vacuum forming,injection, or compression molding of a plastic material. The plasticmaterials available for such molding include polyvinyl chloride ("PVC"),polystyrene, polypropylene, acetate, polyethylene or any other thermoformed plastic. The material utilized should be capable of forming andfolding with reasonable ease, and be capable of retaining its flexiblecharacter after manufacture. The material utilized should also becapable of remaining transparent subsequent to manufacture.

Method of Use. The hypodermic syringe and needle disposal container 5 isto be opened, and preferably started open, for each subsequent openingmay cause the material to yield and make subsequent openings easier toachieve, to the position shown in FIG. 1 with the syringe cavity base 10open to the top. The handler will place the hypodermic syringe andneedle into the syringe cavity base 10 with the plunger fitting in toplunger depression 125, the syringe barrel in to barrel depression floor100, the needle into needle depression 50, with the connection betweenthe syringe and the needle resting upon the inclined plane 70. Uponplacing the hypodermic syringe and needle into the disposal container,the handler will fold over the well closure cover 15 by securing thesyringe cavity base 10 with one hand and folding the well closure cover15 around the axis of rotation which runs through hinge 20. The wellclosure cover will be folded until the protuberances 154, 159 andoutside wall 165 of the well closure cover 15 come in contact with theindentations 30, 35 and inside wall of the initial depression 45. Thepieces are then pushed further together until the raised wall 165 of thewell closure cover 15 is fully depressed into depression 40. If thesealant 190 is used, the last step will cause a tight seal to be formedbetween the well closure cover 15 and the syringe cavity base 10.

In order to further secure the well closure cover 15 to the syringecavity base 10, the handler also forces protuberances 155, 160 into thedepressed indentations 30, 35, respectively. The protuberances 155, 160are to be inserted until base 150 becomes flush with base 25 and theelongated portions 27, 162 are fully inserted and flush.

When the disposal container is secure, the handler is then to lift thecontainer and dispose of it in accordance with federal and state lawsregarding the disposal of hazardous waste. The container should behandled with due diligence and care.

The embodiments set forth herein are merely illustrative and do notlimit the scope of the invention or the details therein. It will beappreciated that many other modifications and improvements to thedisclosure herein may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention or the inventive concepts herein disclosed. Because manyvarying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of theinventive concept herein taught, including equivalent structures ormaterials hereafter thought of, and because many modifications may bemore in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with thedescriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that thedetails herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

We claim:
 1. A hypodermic syringe and needle disposal container forencasing a hypodermic syringe having a needle, a syringe body and amanipulation portion, comprising:a syringe cavity base having containingmeans for receiving the hypodermic syringe; a well closure cover havingenclosing means for closing said containing means; and a hinge connectedto said well closure cover and said syringe cavity base;wherein saidcontaining means includes-- an elongated needle containment cavity sizedto hold the needle; a syringe containment cavity sized to hold thesyringe body and manipulation portion, said cavities connected to eachother; and an inclined plane and wall which is centrally located betweensaid needle containment cavity and said syringe containment cavity, saidinclined plane declining to said syringe containment cavity from saidneedle containment cavity, said wall being formed at the foot of saidinclined plane and extending from the foot of said inclined plane to thebottom of said syringe containment cavity, whereby the hypodermicsyringe and needle are prevented from moving forward and piercing theplastic container when in said cavities.
 2. The hypodermic syringe andneedle disposal container of claim 1 wherein said inclined plane runsbetween portions of said wall and terminates with its base on theshortest portion of said wall.